Window cleaning device



May 12, 1936 A. CONTY WINDOW CLEANING DEVICE Filed May 5, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. A

40605 7'0 Co/v TY BY ATTORNEYS.

May 12, 1936 A. CONTY 2,040,644

WINDOW CLEANING DEVICE Filed May 3, 1934 2 ShetS-Sheet 2 b INVENTOR. AUGWSTO Co/vrv BY 44M446? ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 12, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to window cleaning devices and has more specific reference to an improved device of the type which is adapted for the simultaneous cleaning of the inner and outer surfaces of a window pane.

The invention comprehends an improved window cleaning device of the indicated type, including a base adapted to rest upon the window sill and which is manually movable laterally thereover during the cleaning operation.

The device further embodies standards on the base adapted to be disposed respectively on the inner and outer sides of the window sash and which constitute mountings for rotatory supports for the cleaning elements, which supports are also slidable longitudinally of the standards and which supports are so connected that linear and rotatory motion imparted to one support is transmitted to the other, whereby the cleaning elements simultaneously move over and cleanse similar areas of the inner and outer surfaces of the pane.

As a still further feature, the device includes means for connecting the standards with the base to permit of relative movement of said standards so as to dispose the cleaning elements in and out of contact with the window pane, while facilitating the positioning of the device in operative relation to the window sash and its removal therefrom.

The invention furthermore contemplates an element on the base with which the lower edge of the window sash is adapted to engage and against which the outer surface of the lower rail of the sash is designed to abut in order to insure the positioning of the cleaning elements in proper contact with the opposite surfaces of the window pane, while further functioning in the capacity of means for guiding the device in its lateral movements over the window sill.

The invention further resides in an improved window cleaning device of the character set forth, which is comparatively simple in its construction and mode of operation, which may be inexpensively produced and which is highly efficient for its intended purpose.

With the above recited and other objects in view, reference is now made to the following specification and accompanying drawings in which there has been set forth, by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the invention, while the appended claims. cover variations and modifications thereof which fall within the scope of the. invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device associated with a window, illustrating the cleaning elements and their supports swung to a separated position. I

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the cable and pulley arrangement for effecting simultaneous movements of the cleaning elements for the inner and outer surfaces of the Window pane.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view 10.-

' tional view taken approximately on the line 6-6 20.

of Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 is a detailed perspective view of one of the interchangeable cleaning elements in the form of a cleaning pad.

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the cross rod constituting a supplemental support for the dev1ce.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, [0 designates the base of the device which is adapted to be supported by the window sill A for lateral movement thereover and said base may be constructed of any suitable material, which in the present instance is disclosed as of sheet metal having upturned flanges II atits opposite end edges. The device further includes a pair of spaced standards designated generally by the reference characters l2 and I3, which will hereinafter be referred to asthe inner and outer standards due to the fact that they are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the sash B v of the window which is to be cleaned by the device. The standards l2 and [3 are each provided at the lower ends with a hollow footing I4 which extends longitudinally of the base l0 and is pivoted ona rod or shaft [5 extending longitudinally of the 5' base and through the footing I4, the opposite ends of the shaft or rod being journaled in upstanding bearing lugs 16. Thismounts the standards on and connects the same with the base to permit of relative swinging movement of the standards towards and away from each other or, as shown, from an active vertical position, to an angularly disposed upwardly divergent position. The standards are so constructed asto provide longitudinal slots l1 and [8 extending throughout their 55.

' shafts I9 which extend through the thickness of the standards and which are provided with outer non-circular extremities 20 and 2| exposed from opposite faces of the standards. The standards are of hollow construction, and in the present instance each includes a pair of spaced channel shaped sections 22 and 23 having their open faces confronting each other with the edges of their flanges spaced apart to define the slots I1 and I8. The lower ends of the sections being secured to the footings I4. The stub shaft I9 of the inner support has secured to its outer end a manipulating handle 24 and the stub shafts of both the inner and outer supports have fixed to the opposite or inner ends, angularly disposed hollow members 25 constituting sockets for selectively receiving the shanks 26 and 21 of interchangeable cleaning elements 28 and 29, the former being in the form of squeegees and the latter in the form of cleansing pads.

In order to provide means for connecting the cleaning elements so as to cause the same to be moved in unison upon manipulation of its handle 24, each stub shaft I9 freely extends through a ring 36. A continuous cable section 3| is anchored at 32 to the upper portion of the ring 39 of the inner standard I2 and extends upwardly therefrom and istrained around a guide sheave 33 and thence downwardly and around and under a guide. sheave 34 which is mounted on the rod or shaft I5 of the inner standard. The cable section 3| then extends across the base I0 and is trained around a guide sheave 35 mounted on the rod or shaft I5 of the outer standard. From this point the cable 3| leads upwardly and is anchored as at 36 to the lower portion of the rin 30 of the outer standard I3. A continuous cable section 31 is anchored at one terminal as at 38 to the lower portion of the ring 30 of the inner standard I2 and extends downwardly therefrom and is'trained around a guide sheave 39 mounted on the rod or shaft I5 of the inner standard I2. From this point the cable section 31 extends across the base I0 and around a guide sheave 40 mounted on the rod or shaft I5 of the outer standard I3. The cable section 31 leads upwardly therefrom and is trained around an upper guide sheave 4| at the upper end of the outer standard I3 and leads downwardly therefrom with its remaining terminal anchored to the upper portion of the ring 30 of the outer standard I3. This connects the stub shafts I9 of the inner and outer standards for linear movement longitudinally of the standards and guided by the slots I1 and I 6.

The shafts I 9 of the inner and outer standards I2 and I3 are connected for simultaneous rotatory movements by means of a cable section 45 which is anchored at one end as at 46 to a pulley sheave 41, keyed to the stub shaft I9 of the inner standard I2 and located on one side of the ring 30 thereof. From its anchored end 46, the cable section 45 is trained around the grooved periphery of the pulley sheave 41 and then leads downwardly around a guide sheave 48, mounted on the rod or shaft I5 of the inner standard I2, then across the base I0 and around a guide sheave 49 on the rod or shaft I5 of the outer standard I3. From this point the cable section 45 leads upwardly through the outer hollow standard I3 and is trained around a guide sheave 50 at the upper end of said outer standard from which it extends downwardly to andis trained around the grooved periphery of a pulley sheave 5| keyed to the shaft I9 of the outer standard 30, the remaining terminal of the cable section 45 being anchored as at 52 to the pulley 5|. It thus follows that turning of the shaft I9 of the inner standard I2 in a clockwise direction will wind the cable 5 section 45 on the pulley sheave 41 and exert a pull on said cable section so as to cause the same to unwind from the pulley sheave 5|, thereby imparting simultaneous clockwise rotatory motion to the stub shaft I9 of the outer standard 10 I3. The connection between said stub shafts I9 is completed, so as to cause the same to be simultaneously turned in a counter-clockwise direction, by a cable section 54 which is anchored at one terminal as at 55 to a second pulley sheave 5 56 keyed to the stub shaft I9 of the inner standard I2 and located on the opposite side of the ring 30 from the pulley sheave 41. From the anchored terminal 55 the cable section 54 extends partially around the grooved periphery of the sheave 56 20 and then leads upwardly and is trained. around a guide sheave 51 located at the upper end of the inner standard I 2. From this point the cable section 54 leads downwardly and extends around a guide sheave 58 mounted on the rod or shaft I5 of the inner standard and then across the base In and around a guide sheave 59 on the rod or shaft I5 of the outer standard I3. The cable section 54 extends upwardly therefrom and around the grooved periphery of a pulley sheave 30 60 on the stub shaft I9 of the outer standard I3 and is anchored at its remaining terminal as at 6|.

Means is provided for swinging the standards I2 and I3 in unison to the vertical active posi- 35 tion with the cleaning elements 28 in contact with the inner and outer surfaces of the window pane C, as shown in Fig. 4, and from said active position to the opened inactive position shown in Fig. 1, and said means consists of, a pair of 40 crossed arms and 66 respectively secured to the footings I4 of the inner and outer standards I2 and I3. The arms 65 and 66 are connected by a pin and slot connections 61 and 68 and the arm 66 has an extension 69 protruding inwardly 5 and provided with a manipulating handle 10 by virtue of which the standards are swung on their pivot rods or shafts I5. When swung downwardly the handle effects through the medium of the crossed arms 65 and 66 the impingement of the 50 cleaning elements against the inner and outer surfaces of the window pane C. In order to releasably lock and retain the standards in their active position with the cleaning elements in proper contact with the pane, a latch 1| is em- 55 ployed.

In order to position the device with reference to the window sash so that the cleaning elements 29 properly contact with the opposite surfaces of the window pane C, an angle bar 15 is provided 60 having a horizontal flange 16 secured at its opposite ends to the upturned flanges II of the base I0 and a vertical flange 11. The lower edge of the bottom rail D of the window sash rests upon the horizontal flange 16, while the outer 65 surface of the said bottom rail engages against the vertical flange 11., In addition to serving as a means for positioning the device, the angle bar 15 guides the device in its lateral movements.

Obviously, the device cooperates with either 70 the upper or lower sash of a window for cleaning the panes thereof and the one being cleaned is lowered into contact with the angle bar 15, while the other is raised to an out-of-the-way position. In order to support the base in a horizontal position a supplemental supporting element is employed such as a cross rod 18 having downward opposite terminals 19 which are fitted into screw eyes 8!! carried by opposite side rails of the window frame. The rod '18 includes telescopic sections to render the same adjustable to windows of various widths.

The upper guide sheaves 33, 4|, 50 and may be supported in any desired manner at the upper ends of the inner and outer standards l2 and I3, but in the present disclosure these guide sheaves are so mounted as to permit of their adjustment to take up the slack in the cables whenever necessary. As shown, each of the upper guide sheaves is journaled in a sheave block 8| which blocks bridge the upper ends of the standards and each of which blocks have downturned end flanges 82. Adjacent one end, each block 8| has threadedly extending therethrough a vertical set screw 83 the lower end of which engages the upper end of the standard to rock the block for taking up the slack and maintaining the cable in a taut condition.

In order to take up the slack which would otherwise be produced in the cables when the standards l2 and I3 are swung to the inactive angularly disposed position, illustrated in Fig. 1, the footings I4 are each provided with a longitudinally extending rod 85 which underlies and traverses the cable leads.

In order to provide means for facilitating the lateral shifting movement of the device over the window sill and the supplemental supporting rod 18, a handle in the form of a bail 86 is provided, the terminals of which are attached to the lugs I6 whereby an even draft is imparted to the device.

What is claimed is:

1. A window cleaning device including a base adapted to be supported by a window sill, a pair of spaced standards movably carried by the base and adapted to be disposed respectively on opposite sides of the window sash, means for locking said standards in a vertical position against movement with reference to the base when the device is in active use, a pair of cleaning elements, one for the inner surface and the other for the outer surface of the window pane, a support for each cleaning element respectively mounted on the standards for guided linear and rotatory movements on axes perpendicular to and with reference to the standards, a manipulating handle connected to the support for the inner cleaning element, and means of connection between the cleaning element supports for causing the same to be moved in unison by and upon manipulation of the handle.

2. A window cleaning device including a base adapted to be supported by a window sill, a pair of spaced standards carried by the base and adapted to be disposed respectively on opposite sides of the window sash, means for locking said standards in a vertical position against movement with reference to the base when the device is in active use, a pair of cleaning elements, one for the inner surface and the other for the outer surface of the window pane, a support for each cleaning element respectively mounted on the standards for guided linear and rotatory movements of said supports with reference to the standards and arcuate movements of the cleaning elements over the surfaces of the window panes, a manipulating handle connected to the support for the inner cleaning element, means of connection between the cleaning element supports for causing the ulation of the handle, and means connecting the standards with the base to permit of relative movement of the standards so as to dispose the cleaning elements in and out of contact with the window pane and to facilitate the positioning of the device in operative relation to the window sash and its removal therefrom.

3. A window cleaning device including a base adapted to be supported by a window sill, a pair of spaced standards carried by the base and adapted to be disposed respectively on opposite sides of the window sash, a pair of cleaning elements, one for the inner surface and the other for the outer surface of the window pane, a support for each cleaning element respectively mounted on the standards for rotary movement on axes perpendicular to the standards and for guided linear movements thereof with reference to the standards, a manipulating handle connected to the support for the inner cleaning element, said handle and cleaning elements being disposed eccentric to the axes of rotation of the supports, means of connection between the cleaning element supports for causing the same to be moved in unison by and upon manipulation of the handle, and means pivotally connecting the standards with the base to permit of relative swinging movement of the standards towards and away from each other so as to dispose the cleaning elements in and out of contact with the window frame and to facilitate the positioning of the device in operative relation to the window sash and its removal therefrom.

4. A window cleaning device including a base adapted to be supported by a window sill, a pair of spaced standards carried by the base and adapted to be disposed respectively on opposite sides of the window sash, a pair of cleaning elements, one for the inner surface and the other for the outer surface of the window pane, a support for each cleaning element respectively mounted on the standards for rotary movement on axes perpendicular to the standards and for guided linear movements thereof with reference to the standards, a manipulating handle connected to the support for the inner cleaning element, said handle and cleaning elements being disposed eccentric to the axes of rotation of the supports, means of connection between the cleaning element supports for causing the same to be moved in unison by and upon manipulation of the handle, means pivotally connecting the standards with the base to permit of relative swinging movement of the standards towards and away from each other so as to dispose the cleaning elements in and out of contact with the window frame and to facilitate the positioning of the device in operative relation to the window sash and its removal therefrom, and manually operable means including a manipulating handle located at one side of the device for simultaneously effecting the swinging of the standards on their pivots.

5. A window cleaning device including a base adapted to be supported by a window sill, a pair of spaced standards carried by the base and adapted to be disposed respectively on opposite sides of the window sash, a pair of cleaning elements, one for the inner surface and the other for the outer surface of the window pane, a support for each cleaning element respectively mounted on the standards for guided linear and rotatory movements, 2, manipulating handle connected to the support for the inner cleaning element, means of connection between the cleaning element supports for causing the same to be moved in unison by and upon manipulation of the handle, means pivotally connecting the standards with the base to permit of relative swinging movement of the standards towards and away from each other so as to dispose the cleaning elements in and out of contact with the window frame and to facilitate the positioning of the device in operative relation to the window sash and its removal therefrom, manually operable means including a manipulating handle located at one side of the device for simultaneously effecting the swinging of the standards on their pivots, and a latch engageable with said handle for releasably locking the standards in active position.

6. A window cleaning device including a base adapted to be supported by a window sill for lateral movement thereover, a pair of spaced standards carried by the base and adapted to be disposed respectively on opposite sides of the window sash, a pair of cleaning elements, one for the inner surface and the other for the outer surface of the window pane, a support for each cleaning element respectively mounted on the standards for rotary movement on axes perpendicular to the standards and for guided linear movements thereof with reference to the standards, a manipulating handle connected tothe support for the inner cleaning element, means of connection between the cleaning element supports for causing the same to be moved in unison by and upon manipulation of the handle, and a rigid element on the base with which the lower edg of the window sash engages and against which the outer surface of the lower rail of the sash abuts for positioning the cleaning elements in proper contact with the surfaces of the window pane and for guiding the device in its lateral movement on the window sill.

7. A window cleaning device including a base adapted to be supported by a window sill for lateral movement thereover, a pair of spaced standards carried by the base and adapted to be disposed respectively on opposite sides of the window sash, a pair of cleaning elements, one for the inner surface and the other for the outer surface of the window pane, a support for each cleaning element respectively mounted on the standards for guided linear and rotatory movements with reference to the standards, a manipulating handle connected to the support for the inner cleaning element, means of connection between the cleaning element supports for causing the same to be moved in unison by and upon manipulation of the handle, and an angle bar on the base including a horizontal flange with which the lower edge of the window sash engages and a vertical flange against which the outer surface of the lower rail of the sash slidably abuts for positioning the cleaning elements in proper contact with the surface of the window pane and for guiding the device in its lateral movement over the window sill.

AUGUSTQ CONTY.- 

